1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a miniature toy load carrying vehicle and particularly to a mechanism which simulates the transfer of a load from a building to a fork lift truck and the unloading of the truck into a toy train car or other vehicle
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previous devices for transferring articles between toy train cars and loading platforms have employed electromagnetic ejecting mechanisms such as solenoids which catapult or throw the articles from a car onto a platform, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,142. A similar mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,266,091 wherein simulated baggage is thrown from a station platform onto a toy baggage truck and from the truck into a freight car and unloaded in a reverse sequence. Another mechanism utilizes a tilted track and vertical stakes which hold a load of simulated logs on a toy train car. An obstruction along the track engages an element on the car to cause a pair of stakes to pivot and release the load which rolls onto a platform, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,290,844.
Another device for simulating the transfer of baggage from a platform to a baggage truck and from the truck to a train car is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,240,124. In this mechanism, an illusion is created by a simulated piece of baggage which is on a platform adjacent a toy railway station and which disappears into the body of the platform while simultaneously another simulated baggage piece appears on an adjacent baggage truck. The baggage truck moves to a toy railroad car where the baggage disappears into the truck body to simulate unloading into the train car. The sequence is reversible to simulate unloading from the train to the truck and then to the platform. This is accomplished by mechanically raising or lowering a block on the platform and on the truck alternately in synchronism utilizing electrically operated solenoids and switches. The use of toy fork lift vehicles having operating lifting mechanisms is also known, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,294.
These devices however are relatively complex and require many mechanical elements and electrical circuits and controls.